Cut-out machine



Jan. 3, 1939. M, L, STAN EY 2,142,620

CUT-OUT MACHINE- Filed April 16, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 INVENTOR.M4RV/N L. (FEM/LE).

g Q MTTORNEY.

CUT-OUT MACHINE Filed April 16, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f- 7- I BY 57ANLKMTTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for forming ornamental cut-out workfrom sheet material. The principal object of the invention is to providea simple, compact, light-weight machine which can be readily moved andeasily guided along the lines of a given design to form a clean,continuous cut-out of the design.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a support for the machinewhich will form a firm foundation and yet allow the machine to bereadily moved upon the supporting surface of the work; to provideconvenient hand grips by means of which the user may accurately guidethe machine along a desired line; to provide a pressure .foot which willhold the work down under the cutting blade and which will automaticallyaccommodate itself to surfaces of varying thicknesses, to provide auniversal shaft connection which will allow the blade to turn in anydesired direction while reciprocating and which can be quickly andeasily assembled or disassembled; to provide a machine of this characterin which all belts, pulleys, gears, etc. will be eliminated; and toprovide means for supporting a lamp which will illuminate the work beingout.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is hadto the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numeralsrefer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout thedescription.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete machine.

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof with the front cover plate removed.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the two parts of the universalconnecting rod.

Fig. 5 is a detail rear view of the cutting blade and pressure foot.

The machine consists of a motor housing l0 closed at its rear by meansof a bearing cap II and at its front by means of a front cap 12. Thehousing encloses a suitable electric motor l3, the shaft of whichextends forwardly through a bearing I5 in a partition blade l6 formed inthe housing It].

The rearward portion of the shaft carries a fan ll by means of which airis circulated through the motor l3 and through the housing 13 throughsuitable ventilation openings I8 therein. The forward extremity of themotor shaft l 9 terminates in a relatively heavy counterbalanced crankdisc 20 in the forward surface of 5 which a crank pin 2| is screwed.

A connecting rod 22 depends from the crank pin 2! and terminates in aball 23. The ball 23 is clamped between two half shaft members 24 asshown in Fig. 4. The shaft members 24 are eachsemi-cylindrica]. in shapeand together form a complete cylindrical vertical shaft. The shaftmembers are formed with semi-spherical cavities 25 at their upper andlower extremities. The

cavities 25, at the upper extremity grasp the ball 15 23 of theconnecting rod 22. The cavities 25, at the lower extremities, grasp asimilar ball 26 formed upon the upperextremity of an L-shaped holder 21.

The two shaft members 24 are held together about the balls 23 and 26 bymeans of an enclosing tube 28, into which they fit snugly withsufiicient freedom to reciprocate.

forms a guide bearing for the shaft members 24.

The nipple 29 is projected below the housing ID to receive a spring cup3| containing a compression spring 32. The spring 32 is compressedbetween the nipple 29 and a flange 33 on the tube 28. Therefore, theaction of the spring is to constantly force the tube downwardly. The 40tube 28 extends downwardly below the blade holder 21 and terminates in apressure foot 35, preferably formed of relatively stiff, U-shaped, bentwire as illustrated. The spring 32 constantly presses the foot 35against the sheet being out. When the machine is lifted from the work athrust bearing 34 absorbs the thrust of the spring in the cup 3|.

The blade holder 21 holds a cutting blade 36 in place by means of asuitable set screw 31; The blade 36 is formed with a sharp, chisel-likelower extremity which is positioned within the outline of the U-shapedpressure foot 35.

The motor housing I0 is supported above the work upon suitable runners38. The runners are 55 free to move over the work being supported uponhearing balls 39 which are rotatably mounted in ball housings 40, formedon the runners. The forward extremities of the runners 38 are curved incircular arcs as shown at 4| to form a double hand hold.

An electric globe 42 is mounted in a suitable socket 43 enclosed in alight shield 44 on the bottom of the housing I0. Current is supplied tothe globe 32 and the motor 13 through a. suitable flexible cord 45. Thecurrent to both the lamp and the motor is controlled by means of asuitable switch 46. The switch 46 is preferably positioned on the frontcover plate l2 of the motor housing [0, convenient to the operatorsright thumb. A handle 41 on the motor housing facilitates lifting andcarrying of the complete machine.

In use the operator grasps the two hand hold 4! in the right and lefthands, placing the blade 36 over the starting point on the design. Hethen pushes the switch 46 with his thumb starting the motor inoperation. The motor reciprocates the blade 36 vertically to push thechisellike point rapidly and successively through the sheet being cut.He then draws the machine along the design with the pressure foot 35dragging thereon. As the machine is guided around corners and turns inthe design, the foot 35 swings the tube 28 in the nipple 29 causing theblade to be turned so as to follow the design edgewise at all times andat all positions.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may bevaried, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent 1. In a device of the character described, means fortransmitting reciprocating motion from a crank to cutting bladecomprising: a vertically positioned rotatable tube below said crank; ashaft slidably mounted in said tube; a connecting rod connecting theupper extremity of said shaft with said crank; an offset blade holder onthe lower extremity of said shaft for receiving the cutting blade; afoot member on the lower extremity of said tube contoured to contactsaid sheet eccentrically of said shaft; a spring cup surrounding saidtube; a projection on said tube within said spring cup; and a springpositioned within said cup about said tube and acting against saidprojection to constantly force said foot against the work.

2. A cut out machine comprising: a housing; an electric motor in saidhousing; a countershaft; and means for transmitting the rotation of saidtube to said blade holder.

3. A cut out machine comprising: a housing; an electric motor in saidhousing; a crank member rotated by said motor; a vertical guide bearingextending downwardly through said housing below said crank member; ahollow tube rotatably mounted in said guide bearing; a shaft mounted insaid tube; a connecting rod connecting said shaft with said crankmember; a foot member on the lower extremity of said tube; a.

blade holder formed on the lower extremity of said shaft and projectingto one side thereof through a vertical slot in the lower extremity ofsaid tube, said shaft projecting below said guide bearing and said tubeprojecting below said shaft; a spring cup secured on the lower extremityof said bearing and projecting downwardly about said tube; a fiangeformed on said tube within said cup; and a compression spring withinsaid cup compressed between said bearing and said flange and acting tourge said tube downwardly.

4. A cut out machine comprising: a housing; an electric motor in saidhousing; a crank member rotated by said motor; a vertical guide bearingextending downwardly through said housing below said crank member; ahollow tube rotatably mounted in said guide bearing; a shaft mounted insaid tube; a connecting rod connecting said shaft with said crankmember; a foot member on the lower extremity of said tube; a bladeholder formed on the lower extremity of said shaft and projecting to oneside thereof through a vertical slot inv the lower extremity of saidtube, said shaft projecting below said guide bearing and said tubeprojecting below said shaft; a spring cup securedon the lower extremityof said bearing and projecting downwardly about said tube; aflangeformed on said tube within said cup; a compression spring within saidcup compressed between said bearing and said flange and acting to urgesaid tube downwardly; and a thrust bearing between the bottom of saidspring cup and said flange to support the latter when said foot is outof contact with the work.

MARVIN L. STANLEY.

